Job Tenure Drops Nearly 11% in 10 Years — Here’s a Deeper Look by Industry, Occupation and More
The modern workforce has experienced significant changes in recent years, with technological advancements, the COVID-19 pandemic and more altering the job market. In light of these changes, median job tenure has decreased across almost all age groups, genders and industries, according to the latest LendingTree study.
According to LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz, it’s likely that job loyalty will continue to shrink.
“Between the Great Recession and the pandemic, American workers have been through two incredibly difficult periods in pretty short order,” he says. “Those times aren’t easily forgotten, and I think the lessons learned from those periods will continue to be relevant in the future. I think more and more employees will be open to other jobs more often, whether they’re actively hunting for new companies or open to hearing about new opportunities should they arise. I also believe that the trend toward side hustles will continue to grow as people seek to have more than one revenue stream instead of putting all their eggs in one basket, job-wise.”
Key findings
- The median job tenure for workers 16 and older was 4.1 in January 2022 — down 10.9% from 4.6 10 years earlier in January 2012. Most of the drop occurred by January 2016, when the median tenure was 4.2. Across age and gender, job tenure improved in only one category since January 2012, with decreases of up to 17.4%.
- Among industries, motion pictures and sound recording saw the largest 10-year decrease in job tenure. The median tenure dropped 46.2% from 2.6 in January 2012 to 1.4 in January 2022. Furniture and related product manufacturing (down 44.6%) and paper and printing (down 43.3%) followed. In the same period, petroleum and coal products (up 53.1%), mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (up 48.6%), and textiles, apparel and leather (up 27.9%) saw the biggest increases.
- Among occupations, food preparation and serving-related roles dipped the most — 30.4% — from 2.3 in January 2012 to 1.6 in January 2022. The other biggest drops were in the transportation and material moving (down 27.9%) and architecture and engineering (down 25.7%) occupations. Only one occupation saw a job tenure increase in this period: farming, fishing and forestry, up 5.1%.
- Men with a doctoral or professional degree have the highest median job tenure at 6.3 years. Across educational attainment and gender, the lowest median job tenure is among women without a high school diploma at 4.3 years.
- Independent of job tenure, farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers have the highest average age by job at 56.2 years. That’s followed by shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (56.1) and school bus drivers (55.9). The lowest average age by job is 21.1 years for hosts and hostesses at restaurants, lounges and coffee shops.
Median job tenure fell nearly 11% between 2012 and 2022
The landscape of job tenure in the U.S. has shifted in recent years, with the median tenure for workers 16 and older dropping by 10.9% from 4.6 in January 2012 to 4.1 in January 2022. Most of the drop occurred by January 2016, when the median tenure was 4.2.
A possible reason for this drop may be the “growth recession” following the Great Recession, a period of economic downturn that peaked in January 2012. Workers were more likely to prioritize job safety during a period of economic uncertainty, though they may have felt more confident changing jobs as the economy improved.
Job tenure then dipped to 4.1 in January 2020. Although overall job tenure remained unchanged by January 2022, some age groups saw notable dips in tenure length during this period — something that Schulz attributes to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on the job market.
Median job tenure (years)
| Age and gender | January 2012 | January 2014 | January 2016 | January 2018 | January 2020 | January 2022 | % change (2012 to 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | |||||||
| 16 and older | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | -10.9% |
| 16 to 17 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0% |
| 18 to 19 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | -12.5% |
| 20 to 24 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | -7.7% |
| 25 and older | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.9 | -9.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | -12.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | -11.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 6.9 | -11.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 9.8 | -4.9% |
| 65 and older | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.2 | 10.3 | 9.9 | -3.9% |
| Men | |||||||
| 16 and older | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | -8.5% |
| 16 to 17 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 16.7% |
| 18 to 19 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | -12.5% |
| 20 to 24 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | -7.1% |
| 25 and older | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | -7.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | -9.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.0 | -7.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 7.5 | -11.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 10.0 | -6.5% |
| 65 and older | 10.2 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.3 | 9.7 | -4.9% |
| Women | |||||||
| 16 and older | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | -17.4% |
| 16 to 17 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | -14.3% |
| 18 to 19 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0% |
| 20 to 24 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | -15.4% |
| 25 and older | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | -13.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | -12.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | -13.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 6.3 | -13.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 10.1 | 9.8 | 9.5 | -5.0% |
| 65 and older | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.4 | 10.1 | 10.4 | 10.0 | -4.8% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.
While job tenure has improved in only one category since January 2012 by age and gender, some demographic groups have seen particularly large decreases. Notably, job tenure among women (regardless of age) fell by 17.4% — the largest of any category.
Comparatively, job tenure among men has fallen by 8.5%, with men ages 18 to 19 seeing the largest decrease at 12.5% — though that may largely boil down to job expectations for this age group, particularly because many men may not plan to make careers out of the jobs they have at this age.
By industry, motion pictures and sound recording saw the biggest decrease in job tenure
When it comes to the industries that saw the biggest drops in tenure, look no further than Hollywood. Motion pictures and sound recording saw the largest 10-year drop, with the median tenure decreasing 46.2% from 2.6 in January 2012 to 1.4 in January 2022. The bulk of this drop came between January 2020 and January 2022, with tenure falling from 2.7 to 1.4.
Schulz attributes the majority of this decline to a combination of the pandemic and technological advancements.
“There’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the movie industry,” he says. “However, it isn’t the only headwind facing that business. Streaming services were already having a massive effect on the fundamentals of the movie business well before anyone knew what COVID-19 was, though the pandemic certainly accelerated streaming’s climb to dominance.”
Following that, furniture and related product manufacturing (or the production of furniture and related products like mattresses, window blinds, cabinets and fixtures) saw the second-largest decline. Tenure here fell 44.6% from 6.5 in January 2012 to 3.6 in January 2022. That’s followed by paper and printing, which fell 43.3% from 9.7 to 5.5.
Industries with the largest decreases in average tenure (years)
| Rank | Industry | January 2012 | January 2014 | January 2016 | January 2018 | January 2020 | January 2022 | % change (2012 to 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motion pictures and sound recording | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | -46.2% |
| 2 | Furniture and related product manufacturing | 6.5 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 3.6 | -44.6% |
| 3 | Paper and printing | 9.7 | 9.7 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 | -43.3% |
| 4 | Publishing, except internet | 6.6 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 3.8 | -42.4% |
| 5 | Utilities | 9.5 | 9.2 | 7.4 | 9.5 | 7.7 | 6.0 | -36.8% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
Still, some industries saw tenure growth in the same period. Namely, the petroleum and coal products industry rose the most, with tenure jumping 53.1% from 6.4 to 9.8. That’s followed by mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, with tenure rising 48.6% from 3.5 to 5.2. In third, textiles, apparel and leather saw tenure rise 27.9% from 4.3 to 5.5.
Industry growth may play a role in these increases. Profits among the world’s largest oil companies doubled in 2022 (the year job tenure rose the most in the period analyzed), while profits among the largest firms in the coal mining industry tripled in that same time, according to the Financial Times. Meanwhile, oil production more than doubled between 2011 and 2019, according to Liberty Street Economics from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which could account for the growth in the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction industry.
Industries with the largest increases in average tenure (years)
| Rank | Industry | January 2012 | January 2014 | January 2016 | January 2018 | January 2020 | January 2022 | % change (2012 to 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum and coal products | 6.4 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 5 | 5.7 | 9.8 | 53.1% |
| 2 | Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3.5 | 4 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 48.6% |
| 3 | Textiles, apparel and leather | 4.3 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5 | 5 | 5.5 | 27.9% |
| 4 | Repair and maintenance | 3.7 | 4 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 16.2% |
| 5 | Agriculture and related | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 14.6% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
Full rankings: Industries with the largest decreases/increases in average tenure (years)
| Rank | Industry | January 2012 | January 2014 | January 2016 | January 2018 | January 2020 | January 2022 | % change (2012 to 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motion pictures and sound recording | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | -46.2% |
| 2 | Furniture and related product manufacturing | 6.5 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 3.6 | -44.6% |
| 3 | Paper and printing | 9.7 | 9.7 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 | -43.3% |
| 4 | Publishing, except internet | 6.6 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 3.8 | -42.4% |
| 5 | Utilities | 9.5 | 9.2 | 7.4 | 9.5 | 7.7 | 6.0 | -36.8% |
| 6 | Transportation and warehousing | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | -35.8% |
| 7 | Transportation and utilities | 5.6 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.7 | -33.9% |
| 8 | Nonmetallic mineral products | 7.0 | 7.6 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 4.9 | -30.0% |
| 9 | Computers and electronic products | 7.7 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 5.4 | -29.9% |
| 10 | Beverages and tobacco products | 6.4 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.5 | -29.7% |
| 11 | Plastics and rubber products | 6.1 | 6.5 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.7 | -23.0% |
| 12 | Information | 5.4 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | -22.2% |
| 13 | Federal government | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 8.3 | 8.2 | 7.5 | -21.1% |
| 14 | Food services and drinking places | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | -19.0% |
| 15 | Wood products | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 | -18.9% |
| 16 | Accommodation | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | -18.4% |
| 17 | Accommodation and food services | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.9 | -17.4% |
| 18 | Leisure and hospitality | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.0 | -16.7% |
| 19 | Chemicals | 6.1 | 7.1 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 5.1 | -16.4% |
| 20 | Wholesale and retail trade | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.1 | -16.2% |
| 21 | Professional and technical services | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.7 | -15.9% |
| 22 | Retail trade | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.8 | -15.2% |
| 23 | Hospitals | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.1 | -15.0% |
| 24 | Local government | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.9 | -14.8% |
| 25 | Food manufacturing | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.2 | -14.3% |
| 25 | Radio and television broadcasting and cable subscriptions programming | 4.9 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 4.2 | -14.3% |
| 27 | Insurance | 5.7 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.9 | -14.0% |
| 28 | Nondurable goods manufacturing | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | -13.8% |
| 29 | Manufacturing | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.2 | -13.3% |
| 29 | Real estate and rental and leasing | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 3.9 | -13.3% |
| 29 | Real estate | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 3.9 | -13.3% |
| 29 | Administrative and support services | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.6 | -13.3% |
| 33 | Durable goods manufacturing | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | -13.1% |
| 34 | Management, administrative and waste services | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.7 | -12.9% |
| 35 | Public sector | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 6.8 | -12.8% |
| 36 | Private sector | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | -11.9% |
| 36 | Nonagricultural | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | -11.9% |
| 36 | Electrical equipment and appliances | 5.9 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.2 | -11.9% |
| 36 | Rental and leasing services | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.7 | -11.9% |
| 40 | Health care and social assistance | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 | -11.4% |
| 41 | Transportation equipment | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 6.3 | -11.3% |
| 42 | Wholesale trade | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | -10.9% |
| 43 | Professional and business services | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | -10.5% |
| 43 | Health services, except hospitals | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | -10.5% |
| 45 | Arts, entertainment and recreation | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.8 | -9.7% |
| 46 | Construction | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.9 | -9.3% |
| 47 | Waste management and remediation services | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 4.0 | -9.1% |
| 47 | Education and health services | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.0 | -9.1% |
| 49 | Primary metals and fabricated metal products | 5.6 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.4 | 5.1 | -8.9% |
| 50 | Financial activities | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | -8.2% |
| 51 | Personal and laundry services | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.3 | -5.7% |
| 52 | Educational services | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.1 | -4.7% |
| 53 | Finance and insurance | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.8 | -4.0% |
| 54 | Other services, private households | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.2 | -3.0% |
| 55 | Miscellaneous manufacturing | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | -2.1% |
| 56 | State government | 6.4 | 7.4 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 6.3 | -1.6% |
| 57 | Social assistance | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 0.0% |
| 58 | Telecommunications | 7.4 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 7.5 | 1.4% |
| 59 | Finance | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 2.1% |
| 60 | Other services | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 2.6% |
| 61 | Machinery manufacturing | 5.4 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 3.7% |
| 62 | Other services, except private households | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 5.3% |
| 63 | Membership associations and organizations | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 9.3% |
| 64 | Agriculture and related | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 14.6% |
| 65 | Repair and maintenance | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 16.2% |
| 66 | Textiles, apparel and leather | 4.3 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 27.9% |
| 67 | Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 48.6% |
| 68 | Petroleum and coal products | 6.4 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 9.8 | 53.1% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
By occupation, food preparation and serving roles declined the most
Diving deeper, food preparation and serving-related roles saw the biggest drop by occupation. Tenure here fell 30.4% from 2.3 in January 2012 to 1.6 in January 2022. Given the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impacts on the food service industry, this may be unsurprising. Many employees were laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic, and increased risk of illness and difficult hours led to many others quitting.
Beyond this, transportation and material moving saw the second-largest decrease, with tenure falling 27.9% from 4.3 to 3.1. That’s followed by architecture and engineering, which dropped 25.7% from 7.0 to 5.2.
Occupations with the largest decreases in average tenure (years)
| Rank | Occupation | January 2012 | January 2014 | January 2016 | January 2018 | January 2020 | January 2022 | % change (2012 to 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food preparation and serving-related | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.6 | -30.4% |
| 2 | Transportation and material moving | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.1 | -27.9% |
| 3 | Architecture and engineering | 7.0 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5.2 | -25.7% |
| 4 | Production, transportation and material moving | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -25.0% |
| 5 | Office and administrative support | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.7 | -22.9% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
Meanwhile, only one occupation saw a job tenure increase in this period: farming, fishing and forestry. Job tenure in this industry rose 5.1% from 3.9 to 4.1.
Full rankings: Occupations with the largest decreases in average tenure (years)
| Rank | Occupation | January 2012 | January 2014 | January 2016 | January 2018 | January 2020 | January 2022 | % change (2012 to 2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food preparation and serving-related | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.6 | -30.4% |
| 2 | Transportation and material moving | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.1 | -27.9% |
| 3 | Architecture and engineering | 7.0 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5.2 | -25.7% |
| 4 | Production, transportation and material moving | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -25.0% |
| 5 | Office and administrative support | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.7 | -22.9% |
| 6 | Business and financial operations | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | -17.3% |
| 7 | Installation, maintenance and repair | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | -17.0% |
| 8 | Arts, design, entertainment, sports and media | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | -16.7% |
| 9 | Life, physical and social science | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 | -15.1% |
| 10 | Sales and office | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -14.3% |
| 11 | Community and social service | 5.0 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 | -14.0% |
| 12 | Production | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.6 | -13.2% |
| 13 | Professional and related | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | -13.0% |
| 13 | Legal | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 4.7 | -13.0% |
| 15 | Natural resources, construction and maintenance | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.1 | -12.8% |
| 16 | Computer and mathematical | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.2 | -12.5% |
| 16 | Service | 3.2 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | -12.5% |
| 18 | Health care support | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.9 | -12.1% |
| 19 | Health care practitioners and technical | 5.2 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.6 | -11.5% |
| 20 | Management, business and financial operations | 5.9 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | -10.2% |
| 21 | Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | -10.0% |
| 21 | Personal care and service | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.7 | -10.0% |
| 23 | Construction and extraction | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 | -9.3% |
| 24 | Management, professional and related | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5,0 | 4.9 | 5.0 | -9.1% |
| 25 | Education, training and library | 5.9 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.5 | -6.8% |
| 26 | Protective service | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 6.0 | -6.3% |
| 27 | Management | 6.3 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 6.2 | -1.6% |
| 28 | Sales and related | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 0.0% |
| 29 | Farming, fishing and forestry | 3.9 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 5.1% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
Who’s most likely to have the longest (and shortest) job tenure?
When it comes to the demographics most likely to hold a job the longest, men with high levels of education rank first. Men with a doctoral or professional degree have a median job tenure of 6.3 years — highest overall. Broken down by age, men 65 and older with this education level have an average tenure of a staggering 18.9 years.
Meanwhile, the lowest median job tenure is among women without a high school diploma at 4.3 years. That figure is particularly low among women ages 25 to 34 without a high school diploma at 2.5 years.
Median tenure by age, gender and education
| Education level | Total | 25 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 | 65 and older |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | ||||||
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.5 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 7.5 |
| High school graduates, no college | 4.9 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 6.3 | 9.2 | 10.2 |
| Some college, no degree | 4.8 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 8.5 |
| Associate degree | 4.9 | 3.0 | 4.4 | 6.4 | 10.4 | 9.7 |
| College graduates | 5.0 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 7.6 | 10.4 | 10.3 |
| Bachelor's degree only | 4.9 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 7.4 | 10.1 | 9.4 |
| Master's degree | 5.2 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 7.6 | 10.3 | 10.3 |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 5.5 | 2.0 | 4.8 | 9.2 | 14.5 | 19.6 |
| Men | ||||||
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.5 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 7.4 |
| High school graduates, no college | 5.1 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 7.2 | 9.8 | 10.4 |
| Some college, no degree | 5.0 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Associate degree | 5.2 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 7.6 | 10.7 | 9.5 |
| College graduates | 5.1 | 2.7 | 5.3 | 7.9 | 10.4 | 9.8 |
| Bachelor's degree only | 5.0 | 2.9 | 5.4 | 8.0 | 10.1 | 7.8 |
| Master's degree | 5.1 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 7.2 | 10.2 | 10.1 |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 6.3 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 10.0 | 14.1 | 18.9 |
| Women | ||||||
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.3 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 8.5 |
| High school graduates, no college | 4.7 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 8.0 | 10.0 |
| Some college, no degree | 4.5 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 6.5 | 8.4 | 8.2 |
| Associate degree | 4.6 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 5.3 | 10.2 | 9.8 |
| College graduates | 4.9 | 2.8 | 4.9 | 7.5 | 10.5 | 11.7 |
| Bachelor's degree only | 4.7 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 7.0 | 10.2 | 11.0 |
| Master's degree | 5.3 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 8.0 | 10.4 | 10.5 |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 4.9 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 7.7 | 15.2 | 20.1 |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
Regardless of tenure length, here’s which jobs have the highest average ages
Looking beyond the average amount of time spent at each job, farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers have the highest average age by job at 56.2. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (56.1) and school bus drivers (55.9) follow.
Jobs with the highest average age
| Rank | Job | Average age |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers | 56.2 |
| 2 | Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs | 56.1 |
| 3 | School bus drivers | 55.9 |
| 4 | Transit and intercity bus drivers | 54.2 |
| 5 | Judges, magistrates and other judicial workers | 53.8 |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
On the other hand, hosts and hostesses at restaurants, lounges and coffee shops have the lowest average age by job at 21.1 years. That may be because no formal education or work experience is typically required for these jobs.
Following that, other protective service workers (which includes service work in elementary and secondary schools, local government offices and more) have the second lowest age at 21.3. That’s followed by fast food and counter workers at 22.2.
Jobs with the lowest average age
| Rank | Job | Average age |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hosts and hostesses at restaurants, lounges and coffee shops | 21.1 |
| 2 | Other protective service workers | 21.3 |
| 3 | Fast food and counter workers | 22.2 |
| 4 | Other entertainment attendants and related workers | 24.2 |
| 5 | Waiters and waitresses | 26.0 |
Source: LendingTree analysis of BLS data.
Looking to switch jobs? Top expert tips
While job tenure is generally down, that could be good for most Americans. In fact, another LendingTree study on switching jobs found that workers earn an average of 11% more by job-hopping. If you’re looking to switch to a new role or company, Schulz offers the following advice:
- Network, network, network. “Job hunting is often as much about who you know as what you know,” he says. “It’s such a cliché, but it’s true. When you’re searching for jobs, your personal connections can make a huge difference. It’s perhaps the best way to get your application noticed among the other resumes in the stack. And while it may seem awkward to ask for advice or help, don’t hesitate to do it. You’ll be surprised at how often people will be willing to help you.”
- Don’t be afraid to negotiate. “It can be hard to negotiate salaries and other compensation, especially when you’re excited about a job,” he says. “There can be that voice in the back of your mind telling you not to push too hard because you don’t want to risk upsetting the prospective employer. However, the truth is that many companies anticipate that job applicants will counter a job offer. That’s why so many companies don’t give you their best offer right off the bat. Knowing that, it can be smart to perhaps ask for a little more before you say yes. Now, this requires doing some homework, perhaps through online salary research or talking with friends, family and colleagues about salaries. It may also require a little bit of roleplaying with a trusted friend or relative to practice what you’ll say. Still, all that effort can be worth it if it leads to a bigger paycheck, extra vacation time or other perks.”
Methodology
To find how job tenure has changed over time, LendingTree researchers analyzed U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. Specifically, we compared job tenure in January 2012 to January 2022.
Analysts ranked industries, occupations and educational attainment by the percentage change in job tenure over that period.